Nicola Sturgeon pushes independence again at COP 26

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Unionist figures continue to take on Nicola Sturgeon over independence as the SNP are accused of keeping Scotland’s constitutional battle on “pause and repeat”. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said today that the First Minister knows she would lose if a referendum was held tomorrow. Speaking on Matt Forde’s Political Party podcast, he said: “I honestly think if there was a referendum tomorrow they’d lose. And I think they know that. “And so all we are doing here is keeping Scotland on pause and repeat, pause and repeat, to hold a certain percentage of the population together so they stay in power.”

The Scottish Conservatives have also questioned the SNP’s independence plan, with MSP Stephen Kerr telling Express.co.uk that the EU could resist Ms Sturgeon’s push to rejoin the bloc.

He said: “They are going to set up their own currency? Scotland’s going to join the euro? Really?

“We already have this massive deficit that puts us way outside of anything that would allow them to rejoin the EU.

“That’s the other thing. At least a third of the SNP don’t even want to join the EU, so they’ve got another problem on that score as well.”

The first step for any country wishing to join the EU is to comply with a set of standards broadly set out in the ‘Copenhagen criteria’, which cover stable governance, democracy, protection for human rights, a market economy, and the ability to adhere to the EU’s political and economic aims.

All new members of the EU are formally required to work towards membership of the euro and to reduce budget deficits to three percent or less as part of the rules set out in the Maastricht Convergence Criteria.

If a member state does not comply with the convergence criteria rules on public deficits, the European Council has the option to enforce policies to reduce the deficit, known as the Excessive Deficit Procedure.

New member states can negotiate a transition period, however, as Croatia did after joining the bloc in 2013.

In August, figures released in the Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland found that the Scottish deficit stands at 22.4 percent.

Spending increased by 21 percent during the year, reflecting the impact of the pandemic, while average public spending per person also rose to £1,828 above the UK average.

A deficit as high as this upon EU entry could result in Brussels making demands to try and stabilise the Scottish economy.

Opponents to Scottish independence have also warned of economic turmoil if Scotland was separated from the UK.

Fears over a hard border and trade disruption have led many to speak out against independence, including Mr Kerr.

He added: “Independence would be economically devastating for Scotland, over 60 percent of everything we make ends up being sold in the UK.

“Ms Sturgeon would be intent on making a customs border at Berwick or Carlisle. It would be outrageous, it would impoverish Scotland.

“Even their own growth commission, Andrew Wilson is one of their own MSPs, he did a report on the economic impact of independence which was buried by the SNP.”

Despite this, Ms Sturgeon remains defiant that independence cannot be stopped.

She told the Financial Times last month that she has “time on my side”.

DON’T MISS
Scottish trade body will take ‘no lessons’ from Sturgeon’s IndyRef2 [INSIGHT]
Sturgeon suffers blow as independence hits roadblock [ANALYSIS]
Sturgeon bids to steal limelight at COP26 with crunch business plans [INSIGHT]

The First Minister said: “I can’t look ahead and tell you exactly how this constitutional impasse is going to resolve itself, but it will resolve itself — and it will resolve itself on the side of democracy, because actually, the alternative is pretty unthinkable,” said Sturgeon, leader of the pro-independence Scottish National party.

“I’ve got democracy on my side . . . if they think it’s about playing a waiting game, I’ve probably got time on my side as well. You look at the demographics of the support for independence — well, I’m not sure that’s going to get you out of this conundrum.”

Ms Sturgeon also responded to critics’ concerns from an economic standpoint, saying independence would help reverse the impact of Brexit.

She continued: “We’ve just had freedom of movement taken away from us,” she said. “Immigration rules are tighter. So our ability to bring people into the country is severely constrained and that is going to be an absolute stranglehold on the ability of the Scottish economy to grow.”

Source: Read Full Article